VOLUME 7A, CHAPTER 60: HEALTH PROFESSIONS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM FOR ACTIVE SERVICE SUMMARY OF MAJOR CHANGES. All changes are denoted by blue font.

Transcription

1 VOLUME 7A, CHAPTER 60: HEALTH PROFESSIONS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM FOR ACTIVE SERVICE SUMMARY OF MAJOR CHANGES All changes are denoted by blue font. Substantive revisions are denoted by an asterisk (*) symbol preceding the section, paragraph, table, or figure that includes the revision. Unless otherwise noted, chapters referenced are contained in this volume. Hyperlinks are denoted by bold, italic, blue, and underlined font. The previous version dated January 2015 is archived. PARAGRAPH EXPLANATION OF CHANGE/REVISION PURPOSE Added the Purpose and Authoritative Guidance paragraphs. Addition Increased the Stipend amount to $2, effective July 1, Revision Bibliography Updated memorandum. Revision 60-1

2 Table of Contents VOLUME 7A, CHAPTER 60: HEALTH PROFESSIONS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM FOR ACTIVE SERVICE... 1 *6001 GENERAL... 3 * Purpose... 3 * Authoritative Guidance ARMED FORCES HEALTH PROFESSIONS SCHOLARSHIP Purpose Responsibility Eligibility Active Duty Obligation ACCESSION BONUS Eligibility Amount Relationship to Other Payments Repayment PAY ENTITLEMENTS Active Duty Prior Active Service... 6 * Stipend Advance Pay Travel Time Officer s Initial Uniform Allowance Servicemembers Group Life Insurance (SGLI) Tax Withholding Settlement of Deceased Member s Accounts Creditable Service FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (FAP) General Grant Recoupment *BIBLIOGRAPHY

3 CHAPTER 60 HEALTH PROFESSIONS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM FOR ACTIVE SERVICE *6001 GENERAL * Purpose This chapter establishes policy pertaining to the Health Professions Scholarship Program for Active Service. * Authoritative Guidance The bibliography at the end of this chapter lists the authoritative references ARMED FORCES HEALTH PROFESSIONS SCHOLARSHIP Purpose The Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship program (AFHPS) is to obtain adequate numbers of commissioned officers on active duty who are qualified: A. In the various health professions; or B. As health professionals with specific skills to assist in providing mental health care to members of the Armed Forces Responsibility The Secretary of the Military Department concerned, under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, may establish and maintain a health professions scholarship and financial assistance program for his or her department. The Secretary concerned will allocate a portion of the total number of scholarships available in his or her department to members of the program described in subparagraph B for assisting such members to pursue a degree at the master and doctoral level, with obligatory periods of military training, in any of the following disciplines: A. Social work; or B. Clinical psychology; or C. Psychiatry; or D. Other disciplines that contribute to mental health care programs in that Military Department. 60-3

4 Eligibility To be eligible for participation as a member of the program, a person must be a citizen of the United States and must: A. Be accepted for admission to, or enrolled in, an institution in a course of study, or selected to receive specialized training, or, if offered, agree to accept residency training in a health profession skill which has been designated by the Secretary as a critically needed wartime skill; B. Sign an agreement to: 1. Complete the educational phase of the program; 2. Accept an appropriate reappointment or designation within his or her military service, if tendered, based upon his or her health profession, following satisfactory completion of the program; 3. Participate in the intern program of his or her service, if selected for such participation; 4. Participate in the residency program of his or her service, if selected, or be released from active duty for the period required to undergo civilian residency, if selected for such training; 5. Participate in military training while in the program, under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense; and C. Meets the requirements for appointment as a commissioned officer Active Duty Obligation A member of the program incurs an active duty obligation based upon the following conditions: A. The period of obligation, as prescribed under regulations by the Secretary of Defense, may not be less than 1-year for each year of participation in the program. B. A period spent as a military intern or in residency training will not be creditable in satisfying the active duty obligation. C. A member of the program, who is dropped from the program for deficiency in conduct or studies or for other reasons, may be required to perform active duty in an appropriate military capacity in accordance with the active duty obligation imposed in this program. 60-4

5 D. The Secretary of the Military Department concerned may relieve a member of the program, who is dropped from the program, from an active duty obligation, but such relief will not relieve the member from any military obligation imposed by any other law. E. A member of the program, who is relieved of the member s active duty obligation before the completion of that active duty obligation, may be given, with or without the consent of the member, any of the following alternative obligations, as determined by the Secretary of the Military Department concerned: 1. A service obligation in another Armed Force for a period of time not less than the member s remaining active duty service obligation; or 2. A service obligation in a component of the Selected Reserve for a period not less than twice as long as the member s remaining active duty service obligation; or 3. Repayment of a percentage of the total cost incurred by the Secretary under this chapter on behalf of the member pursuant to the repayment provisions of Chapter 2. F. If a member is relieved of an active duty obligation by reason of the separation because of a physical disability, then the Secretary of Military Department concerned may give the member a service obligation as a civilian employee. The member may be employed as a health care professional, in a facility of the uniformed services, for a period equal to the member s remaining active duty service obligation ACCESSION BONUS Eligibility To be eligible for the program, an individual must meet the requirements of paragraph Amount The Secretary of Defense may offer a person, who enters into an agreement under subparagraph B, an accession bonus not to exceed $20, Relationship to Other Payments An accession bonus paid to a person is in addition to any other amounts payable under this chapter. 60-5

6 Repayment A person who receives an accession bonus under this section, but fails to comply with the agreement under subparagraph B, or to commence or complete the active duty obligation discussed in paragraph , will be subject to the repayment provisions of Chapter PAY ENTITLEMENTS Active Duty A. Persons participating in the program will be commissioned officers in the Reserve Components of the Armed Forces and will be ordered to active duty for a period of 45 days during each year of participation. B. Members pursuing a course of study will serve on active duty in pay grade O 1 with full pay and allowances of that grade. C. Members pursuing specialized training will serve on active duty in a pay grade commensurate with their educational level as determined by appointment, with full pay (including Reserve Medical Officers Special Pay) under Chapter 5, section 0508, and allowances of that grade for a period of 14 days, during each year of participation in the program. D. Members will be detailed as students at accredited civilian institutions, located in the United States or Puerto Rico, for the purpose of acquiring knowledge or training in a designated health profession. This active duty period may be served at the location where the person is receiving specialized training, if it would otherwise interrupt the member s residency or fellowship training to serve elsewhere on active duty Prior Active Service Effective January 28, 2008, a member, who has been selected as a medical student and who has prior military service at a pay grade and with years of service credited for pay, will be paid basic pay at such prior pay grade, and years of service, if this rate of basic pay exceeds the rate of basic pay to which he would be entitled as a medical student. The amount of such basic pay will be increased on January 1 of each year by an average increase in basic pay for such year. The member will continue to receive the higher basic pay of his or her prior pay grade until the basic pay for the member's actual grade and years of service credited for pay exceeds the basic pay he or she is receiving, regardless of whether this occurs before or after the conclusion of his or her participation as a medical student. * Stipend Except during periods of active duty (see paragraph ), members enrolled in this program are entitled to a monthly stipend of $2, per month, effective July 1, These rates are payable during periods of absence. 60-6

7 A. Payment. The stipend is payable during the course of study and during vacation periods when members are not on active duty. The stipend is prorated for portions of a month at the beginning and end of the course of study, and the beginning and end of any active duty period. B. Termination. Some students complete their professional degree requirements several months before the formal graduation ceremony and conferral of the professional degree. In those cases, where the actual award of a professional degree is a prerequisite to re-commissioning into a professional corps or utilization in the profession and a lapse of time occurs for administrative reasons, the payment of the stipend should be terminated. The date for termination of the stipend should be the completion of the academic training, if this date precedes the date of graduation by more than 45 days. C. Recoupment. Educational costs of the program are subject to recoupment when members of the program are dropped for deficiency in conduct or studies, or when members for other reasons fail to fulfill their contractual agreement, as a result, of action not initiated by the government Advance Pay Members may be paid an advance pay when reporting for the 45-day active duty tour. (See Chapter 32, paragraph ) Travel Time During the active duty period, including allowable travel time under Chapter 1, Table 1-6, members serve in pay grade O-1 and are normally entitled to full pay and allowances (see Chapter 57) for that grade Officer s Initial Uniform Allowance A member of the Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship Program is entitled to an initial uniform allowance upon reporting for the first period of active duty. (See Chapter 30, section 3002.) Servicemembers Group Life Insurance (SGLI) Members, while under this program, are entitled to SGLI coverage for the 45-day active duty tour. For deductions during active duty periods, see Chapter 47, section Tax Withholding A. Active duty pay paid under this program is subject to Federal Income Tax Withholding (FITW), state income tax withholding (SITW), if applicable, and Federal Insurance Contribution Act (FICA) in the same manner as prescribed in Chapters 44 and

8 B. Monthly stipends paid to students entering the program are subject to FITW and SITW. C. Monthly stipends are not subject to FICA withholding. D. Amounts paid directly to schools on behalf of students for tuition, books, fees, laboratory expenses, and any reimbursements for such items paid to students participating at any time in the program, are not subject to withholding for FITW, SITW, or FICA Settlement of Deceased Member s Accounts See Chapter 36, section 3602, for authority for payment of any unpaid pay and allowances (includes the amount of unpaid stipend) Creditable Service A. Except as provided in subparagraph B, service performed while a member of the program will not be counted: 1. In determining eligibility for retirement, other than by reason of physical disability incurred while on active duty as a member of the program; or 2. In computing years of service creditable. B. Service Creditable for Certain Purposes 1. The Secretary concerned may authorize service performed by a member of the program in pursuit of a course of study under this section to be counted in accordance with this subparagraph if the member: a. Completes the course of study; b. Completes the active duty obligation; and c. Possesses a specialty designated by the Secretary concerned as critically needed in wartime. 2. Service credited under subparagraph B.1 counts only for the award of retirement points for the computation of years of service and for computation of retired pay. 3. The number of points credited to a member under subparagraph B.1 for a year of participation in the course of study is 50. The points will be credited to the member for one of the years of that participation at the end of each year after the completion of the course of study that the member serves in the Selected Reserve and is credited with at least 60-8

9 50 points. The points credited for the participation will be recorded in the member s records as having been earned in the year of the participation in the course of study. 4. Service may not be counted under subparagraph B.1 for more than 4 years of participation in the course of study as a member of the program. 5. A member of the Selected Reserve may be considered to be in an active status while pursuing a course of study under this section. 6. A member is not entitled to any retroactive award of, or increase in, pay or allowances by reason of an award of service credit under subparagraph B FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (FAP) General The Secretary concerned may provide for the payment of all educational expenses incurred by a member of the AFHPS Program including tuition, fees, books, and laboratory expenses. Such payments, however, will be limited to those educational expenses normally incurred by students at the institution and in the health profession concerned who are not members of the program Grant Effective July 1, 2008, a person participating, as a member of the AFHPS in specialized training, will be paid an annual grant in an amount not to exceed $45,000 in addition to the stipend under paragraph entitlement. A. A grant is paid annually based on the rate in effect on the date of B. A grant is pro-rated only for partial years of participation, to include the final payment. Subsequent installments are to be issued on the anniversary date of the initial payment. C. The amount of each grant is reviewed and increased as appropriate in the same manner as provided for the stipend. D. Payment starts on the date of execution of the oath of office, the date of execution of the FAP contract, or the date of commencement of the academic curriculum, whichever is latest. E. Payment normally continues until the date of graduation or completion of specialized training. If a member of the FAP is suspended or disenrolled from the designated course of specialized training, stipend payments terminate on that date. 60-9

10 F. Dual Payments. The authority to make the grant and stipend payments is not affected by any payments made to the member by the civilian training institution Recoupment A member of the FAP who fails to complete specialty training because of a deficiency in conduct or studies, or who for other reasons fails to fulfill the contractual agreement as a result of action not initiated by the government, may be required to reimburse the government for all or a portion of payments received during participation in FAP. Recoupment is subject to the repayment provisions of Chapter

11 *BIBLIOGRAPHY CHAPTER 60 HEALTH PROFESSIONS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM FOR ACTIVE SERVICE 6002 ARMED FORCES HEALTH PROFESSIONS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM Title 10, United States Code (U.S.C.), section 2121(a) (1) U.S.C. 2121(a) (2) U.S.C U.S.C ACCESSION BONUS Assistant Secretary of Defense Health Affairs (ASD (HA)) Memo, April 25, U.S.C. 2128(a) U.S.C. 2128(b) U.S.C. 2128(c) 6004 PAY ENTITLEMENTS U.S.C. 2121(c)(1) C 10 U.S.C U.S.C. 2121(c) (2) U.S.C. 2121(d) * ASD (HA) Memo, May 7, U.S.C. 1006(i) U.S.C U.S.C. 2121(c) U.S.C U.S.C U.S.C U.S.C. 501(d) U.S.C A.2 37 U.S.C B.1.b 10 U.S.C. 2123(a) B.2 10 U.S.C and B.3 10 U.S.C (a)(2) B.5 10 U.S.C (a) and FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM U.S.C. 2127(a) U.S.C. 2127(b) and (e) Department of Defense Instructions

12 June 30, 1997 * ASD (HA) Memo, May 7,